Switch handle and instrument holder



Feb. 10,` 1931. o. H. PIEPER 1,792,121

SWITCH HANDLE AND INSTRUMENT HOLDER Original Filed Sept. 20, 1926 Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED sTATEs PATENT Iorf-Ica OSCAR H. PIEPER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OSCAR H. PIEPER'ANID ALPHONSE F. PIEIPER, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SWITCH HANDLE AN D INSTRUMENT HOLDER Application led September 20, 1926, Serial No. 136,501. Renewed December 13, 1929.

This invention relates to dentaly instruments, and more particularly to what I term a switch handle and instrument holder.

lnstruments of this type are intended for holding an instrument which is heated electrically for use in dental work. The circuit through the heating element of the instrument is controlled by a switch member slidable on the hand piece which, necessarily, 1e provides a projection which interferes, to a certain extent, with manipulation of the hand piece. In devices of this sort as at present constructed the instrument is secured in the hand piece in such manner as to render it difficult or impossible to adjust the instrument relative to the switch member, and this frequently seriously interferes with use of the instrument. A further objection to the present construction of devices of this character is 2e that adequate provlsion is not made for protecting the operator and the patient from being burned by parts of theinstrument and the hand piece, particularly at the point of juncture between these members.

This invention is intended more particularly as an improvement over the device disci osed in my application for instrument holdor, Seriai No. 99,296, filed April 2, 1926. One oi the main objects of my invention is to 3c avoid the objections vabove noted to devices of thi general character and to produce a device of simple and highly eiiicient construction in which the instrument can be quickly and easily secured in the hand piece and can be readily adjusted relative to the switch operating member. A further important feature of my invention is the provision of means whereby the hands of the operator, and the patient are eifectually protected from being burned by the hot part of the device. A further object is to provide means whereby proper Contact of the terminalelements of the instrument with the contact members of the` hand piece will be insured at all times. Further objects will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention;

F i gare 2 is a vsection taken substantially on line 2 2 of Figure 1, parts being omitted and other parts being shown in elevation i Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2; A

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4 4 ofFigure 2;v 1

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5fof Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective detail of the fixed portion of the hand piece; and

- Figure 7 is a fragmentary section, parts being shown in elevation, showing the position of thesecuring sleeve andassociated parts when the instrument is secured in the hand piece.

The device or tool includes a tubular hand piecel within which is mounted an elongated cylindrical 'core 2 of electrical insulating material, this core being secured in position by means of a screw 3 or in any other suitable or preferred manner. Core 2 is provided with channels4 disposed diametrically opposite of the core and extending the full length thereof. The central portion of the core projects beyond the body thereof to form an extension 5. A contact strip `6 is mounted in one of the channels, a stripof insulation 7 being positioned at the outer face of strip 6. The upper portion 6a of strip 6 is disposed at an angle to the body portion of this strip and is rounded at 6b, having a reversely curved terminal element 6c. A resilient strip 8 of electrical conducting material is mounted in the other channel strip 4 and a strip 9 of insulating material is positioned at the outer face of strip 8. This strip 9 extends the full lengt-h of strip 8 and strip 8 is provided at its upper end with a s lit sleeve 10,'the upper portion of which is fiitred as at 10a. The contact strips 6 and 8, together with oooperatinginsulating strips 7 and 9, respectively, are held in position by retaining rings or bands 11 which fit tightly about core 2 in suitable grooves provided to accommodate these bands. Electrical conductors or wires 12 of a cord or cable 13 are connected to the contact strips, this cable passing through a suitable ring 14 secured on the lower end of hand piece 1 in a known manner, a coiled vguard or protector 15 being carried by the ring and extending aboutthe cord 18.` The core 2 and the parts carried thereby constitute a unit which can be readily inserted into the hand piece 1 and secured in position by means of the screw 8, or in any other suitable or preferred manner.

Hand piece 1 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 16 which accommodates the body portion of a button 17 carried by a sleeve 18 slidable on the hand piece. Head 17 a of the button is disposed to engage portion 6b of contact strip 6 so as to move the terminal portion Gc of this strip into operative positionv when the sleeve 18 is moved into its uppermost position for closing thek circuit of the instrument used in connection with the hand pieceA Sleeve 18 is of appreciable length and is formed of a suitable heat insulating material, such as a synthetic resin commercially known as bakelite, though Vany other suitablefmaterial may be employed for this purpose. This sleeve, due to its length andI heat. insulating properties, is of assistance in protecting the users hand against burning by the heated parts ofthe device, as well as serving as means yfor controlling the circuit, as will be later'set forthA in more detail.

Hand piece 1 is provided at its upper vend with an exteriorly thread d` neck 19 having an L-shaped slot therein, the vertical portion l29 of which extends from the topt'o the bottom of the neck, lie-horizontal portion 20a of the slot extending circumferentially of the neck at the lower end thereof and for an ap-l preciable distance. The provision .of this slot permits distortion of the neck for clamping the same tightly 'around a resilient split sleeve 21 mounted within neck 19 concentrically therewith. A. clamping ring or collar 22 is threadedon neck 19 and includes an inner metallic member 22a andan outer heat insulating member 22?) which is preferably formed of the same material as sleeve '18. Member 22a is provided at its upper end with a shoulder 28 extendinfr inwardly thereof and having its inner surface inclined downwardly vand radially outwardly of member 22a. Hand piece 1 is provided at its upper end with a restricted 1portion 211 forming a shoulder 24 at the base of neck 19, and the inner face of this shoulder is inclined oppositely to the inner face of shoulder 28. The Vends of sleeve 21 are oppositely beveled to seat on the shoulders 28 and 24 and the sleeve is of such length that, when collar 22 is threaded onto the neck into full operative position the sleeve is contracted and the inclined end surfaces Vthereof are brought into gripping contact with the shoulders 28 and 24 so as to secure the sleeve to the hand piece. It is also to be noted that the neck19 is of sufficient length to contact at its upper end with the shoulder 23 as collar 22 approaches its full operative position on the neck. This serves to distort neck 19 sufliciently to force the portion of the neck defined by the L- shaped slot 2O and 20a into gripping contact with the sleeve 21. In this manner the sleeve and the neck are secured together frictionally so as to prevent relative movement between the same, when the collar 22 is threaded into full operative position.

The hand piece 1 and associated parts are adapted for use in connection with an electrically heated dental instrument. The instrument shown is intended for use in connection with gutta-percha fillings and for other purposes and includes body 25 secured in a neck 26a of a base member 26. An insulating tube 27 extends from body 25 through the base member 26 and carries at its lower end an inner terminal element 28 of electrical conducting material which is disposed in concentric relation to an outer terminal element 29 insulated from member 28 vby the reduced lower portion of tube 27. The lower portion of base member 28 is recessed from the lower end thereof to receive an insulating thimble which surrounds the outer ond portion of contact or terminal element 29 and elfectually insulates the same from the base member. A resistance element 81 is mounted within the instrument 25 and has its ends connected to the terminal elements 28 and 29. It will be noted that by this construction the terminal element 28 is disposed co-axially with hand piece 1 when the instrument is secured in position and the yterminal element 29 is' disposed inV concentric relation to member 28 and also co-axially withthe hand piece. In applying the instrument to the hand piece the base portion 26 is inserted through sleeve 21. This' insertion of the instrument resultsV in terminal element 29 being inserted through the contact collar 10. As the outer end of collar 10 is flared at 10a and the Contact strip 8 is resilient, proper insertion of contact element 29 through the collar is insured at all times even through the collar may be slightly out of truly co-axial position in relation to hand piece 1. This feature of my invention is of great importance from a practical standpoint as it permits adjustment of the instrument while insuring proper contact between the sleeve 10 and element 29 at all times, which would not be possible if a flat contact strip or spring were pressed against member 29 as is frequently done. After the instrument has been properly inserted collar 22 is threaded onto neck 19 into its full operative position. This serves to contract sleeve 21 into gripping contact with base portion v26 of the instrument, and also serves to contract the neck 19 into gripping contact withv sleeve 21. In this man.- ner the sleeve and the instrument are effectively secured in adjust-ment yand to the hand piece. After the instrument has been secured in position element 6c of contact strip 6 may be forced into contact with terminal elesuitable heat insulating material, such as the synthetic resin previously referred to and known commercially as bakelite. When the sleeve 18 is in its outermost or operative position for closing the circuit of the instrument, the outer end of this sleeve is positioned in contact with collar 22, collar 32 forming with collar 22 and sleeve 18 a continuous heat insulating structure which eX- vtends a relatively great distance above and below the area of contact between the base member 26 of the instrument and the neck of the hand piece and associated parts. I consider this particular relation between the collar and the sleeve of importance as preventing the operators hand from being burned. As the instrument used is frequently heated to a high temperature, the base member and the portion of hand piece 1 adjacent neck 19 are frequently heated by convection to a sufliciently high temperature to burn the operators hand.y Danger of burning of the operators hand fromv this cause is eliminated, however, by providing the relatively long sleeve 18 and the collars 32 and 22 associated therewith and related in the manner illustrated and described.

As will be noted more clearly from Figure 3, the split sleeve 21 is of approximately octagonal shape in cross section and includes four liat surfaces 21a and four rounded surfaces or corner portions 2lb which contact with the inner surface of sleeve 19. Preferably, though not necessarily, the sleeve 21 is positioned within neck 19 so that the slot 210 thereof is in alignment with the vertical portion 20 of the slot of the neck. This positions two of the rounded corners 2lb adjacent slot 20 so that when the neck is contracted in the manner described a very appreciable binding or gripping action between the sleeve and the neck takes place which supplements the gripping action between the ends of the sleeve and the shoulders 23 and 24 for securing the sleeve and the neck together. The instrument can be readily adjusted about its axis at any time by slightly loosening collar 22 and after the desired adjustment has been effected the instrument is avain secured by turning the collar tightly into position. This renders it possible to quickly and easily effect the desired adjust-V ment of the instrument in such manner as to facilitate the use of the same without interi ference from the button 17 and associated parts, which is an important considerationy in this art as above ointed out.

Preferably, thoug not necessarily, I provide a spiral guard 33 which is secured at its base about the upper end of theneck 26a of 'L base member. 26. This guard, in conjunction with the collar 32, serves to Aprotect .the patient from being burned by the instrument duringuse thereof.

I have illustrated and described an instruv ment which is adapted for use in connection with gutta-percha fillings and for similar purposes. It will ,be understood, however, that, various other instruments may be used in connection with the switch handle, such as lights for examining the patients teeth, a cautery, and other instruments. An important feature of my invention, asV above pointed out, is proper contact between the terminal element 29 and the collar 10 at all times, which is of vital importance when using a light, a cautery, or other instruments which require to be continuously heated.

What I claim is f 1. In a device of the character described, a handpiece provided at one end with a radially expandible and contractible neck, a radially expandible and contractible holding member within the neck adapted for reception of an instrument, and means for first contracting said member and subsequently contracting the neck about the holding member' into gripping contact therewith.

-- 2. In a. device of the character described,

a hand piece provided at one end with a neck,

a holding member mounted in the neck and adapted for reception of aninstrument, and means for first contracting said member into gripping contact with the instrument and forsubsequently securing the holding member to the neck.

3. In a device of the character described, a hand piece, two members carried by the handpiece in concentric relation, the inner one of said members being adapted for reception of an instrument and being contractible, and means for first contracting said inner member and for subsequently locking both of said members together.

4. -In a device of the character described, a hand piece, two contractible members carried by the hand piece in concentric relation, the inner one of said members being adapted for reception of an instrument, and means for contracting said members to lock them together and for first forcing the inner member int-o rgripping Contact about the instrument.

5. In a device of the character described, a y y the sleeve having cooperating means for conigt tracting the sleeve by 'threading' the `collar onto the neck into operative position.

6, In a device of the character described, a hand piece provided at one end With a neck, a. resilient split sleeve mounted .in the neck and adapted forreception` of an instrument, and a collar threaded onto the neck, the collar and the sleeve and the neck having cooper ating ineans for iirst contracting the sleeve and for subsequently locking thesleeve and the neck together by threading the collar onto the neck into operative position.

7. lIn a device of the character described, `a hand piece provided at one end with a neck, a resilient split sleeve mounted in the neck and adapted for reception of an instrument, and a collar threaded onto the neck and provided at its outer end With an inner shoulder inclined outwardly of the collar radially thereof and toward the inner end of the collar, the neck being provic ed at its inner endv andadapted for reception of an instrument, y

and a collar threaded onto the neck and provided at its outer end With an inner shoulder inc-lined outwardly of the collar radially thereof and tovvard the inner e'nd of the collar, the neck being provided at its inner end with an inner shoulder inclined oppositely to the shoulder of the ring, said sleeve having end surfaces seating on said shoulders and dis'iosed substantially parallel therewith providi ng cont-acting surfaces of appreciable area between the sleeve and the shoulders c0- operating to contract the ringand to lock it to the neck when the collar is threaded into operative position upon the. neck.

9. In a deviceof the character stated, a hand piece provided at one end with a neck, a resilient split sleeve mounted in the neckand adapted for reception of an instrument, and a collar threaded onto the neck, said neck bedistortion of the neck, the collar having an inclined surface disposed to contact With and contract thesleeve into gripping engagement With the instrument and to contact with and contractthe neck into gripping engagement ing slotted to perniit distortion thereof, the

collar and the sleeve and the. neck having cooperating surfaces ooacting to: first contract the sleeve into gripping contact Vwith the instrument Vand to subsequently contract the neck into gripping Contact With the sleeve When the collar is threaded into operative position upon the neck.

10. In a device of the character stated, a hand piece provided at one end With a neck, a resilient split 'sleeve mounted in the neck and adapted for reception of an instrument, i

and a collar threaded onto the neck, said neck having an Lshaped slot extending longitudinally and cvircuinferentially thereof to permit IBO 

